BSM Exchange Program

• Background
• Location Information
• Program Dates
• Host Institution
• Academic Information
• Academic Disciplines
• Credit Transfer Information
• Eligibility Requirements
• Program Costs
• Housing and Meals
• Insurance
• Extracurricular Activities
• Climate
• VISA & Passport Information
• Your Next Steps
• Experiences of Former Students
• Contact Details

BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the U.S.

LOCATION INFORMATION
Hungary
Hungary is a small country, about the size of Indiana. Its population is 10 million. Located in Central Europe, it is bordered by Slovakia on the north, Ukraine and Romania on the east, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia to the south, and Austria on the west.

Hungary has a turbulent past. The country was invaded and was under foreign domination for much of the second half of its 1100-year history. Defying numerous conquerors, Hungary has maintained a distinct language and culture.

Budapest
Budapest, a city of two million, is situated on both sides of the river Duna (Danube). Eight graceful bridges link the charming hills of Buda on the river's west bank ti cosmopolitan Pest on the east. The construction of the Royal Palace on Buda's Castle Hill was begun over 700 years ago. Actually, the history of this district dates even earlier; a thousand years before the Hungarian kings, Roman warriors maintained a military settlement there to guard the "limes" of the Empire. Buda and Pest were united in 1872 and the union grew into the friendly metropolis we see now in modern Budapest with its elegant boulevards, coffeehouses, and concert halls.

The architecture of Budapest displays the influence of many other cultures - from Turkish baths reminiscent of the country's 150 years of struggle with the Ottoman Empire, to the modern Hyatt Hotel on Roosevelt square which in turn faces the 140-year-old edifice of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

The city dominates the cultural, economic, and political life of the nation. Budapest hosts eleven universities, two opera and ballet theaters, museums, art collections, and parks plus many cinemas, discos, and sports arenas.

Learning English has been quite fashionable in the country for many years. In the University virtually all faculty speak English, as do many students, to a reasonable degree. The visitor will have no difficulty finding helpful people speaking English all around Budapest. Another foreign language spoken by many Hungarians is German.

PROGRAM DATES
Fall Term: early September - mid December
Spring Term: early February - May
Academic Year: early September - May

NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the fall or spring semester or for the full academic year.

YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2009

HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Organized by St. Olaf College in Minnesota, the Budapest Exchange Program provides a unique opportunity for North American undergraduates. Through this program, mathematics and computer sciences majors may spend one or two semester in Budapest and study under the tutelage of eminent Hungarian scholar-teachers. The instructors of the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics are members of Eotvos University and the Mathematical Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the two institutions known for having educated more than half of Hungary's highly acclaimed mathematicians. Most instructors have had teaching experience in North America and are familiar with the cultural differences.

Classes are held on the College International campus of the Technical University of Budapest, which is near the historic city center.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES

Subject Areas Available:

• History, Technology, and Society
• Mathematics
• Modern Languages

Language Information
Courses are taught in English.

Students normally take three to four mathematics courses and one or two intercultural courses each semester. For information about the class offerings: click here

CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should expect to receive.

For detailed credit transfer instructions, click here

For the Foreign Credit Approval Form, click here

CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
BSM uses the following credit transfer system:
1 BSM credit = 3 GT credits
.33 BSM credits = 1 GT credit

GRADING SYSTEM
BSM uses the following grading system:
BSM Grade = GT Grade
A = A
B = B
C/Pass = C
D = D
F = F

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:

• Georgia Tech degree-seeking undergraduate student
• 3.0 GPA or higher
• Completed MATH 4317 and/or MATH 4107 prior to participation
• At least 18 years of age by the program's departure date
• Enroll in 12 or more credit hours at the host institution and earn a C or higher for each course
• International students (non-US citizens) may have additional requirements set by the overseas university
  all students must have completed all the prerequisites for any courses they wish to take
• Students normally have completed at least one semester of advanced calculus (a first course in the theory of analysis) or abstract algebra by the start of the program

PROGRAM COSTS
The currency in Hungary is the Forint (HUF). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check the newspaper or click here for the most current rates.

DON"T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here

Following are cost estimates for one semester in Budapest that may help you prepare for your term(s) abroad. All costs are in USD.

In State Tuition	7,225
Out of State Tuition	7,225
GT Mandatory Fees
Books and Supplies	350
Administrative and/or Application fees
Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals)	450
Roundtrip Airfare	1,000
Room and Board	5,200
Additional Language Instruction
Mandatory Insurance	150
Total	14,375 (in state)
	14,375(out of state)

*Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.

HOUSING AND MEALS

Housing

• off-campus apartments shared with other program participants
• home stay
  
  Students are asked to indicate their preference between the two choices listed above. Opting for an apartment offers most of the comfort to which students are accustomed. Living with a family provides less privacy but more cross-cultural experience. For more information, click here.

Meals

• NO meal plan
  
  

INSURANCE
Students participating in this program will be assessed $150 per semester for mandatory insurance coverage. You will be covered by T.W. Lord and Associates. For detailed information about this insurance plan, http://www.oie.gatech.edu/sa/forms/pdfs/mat_insurance_provider.pdf. This cost is included in the above cost estimates for the program.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Several recent participants have used their spare time to play in one of the Liszt Academy's orchestras, others have served Hungarian relief organizations aiding refugees from Romania and countries of the former Yugoslavia, several have joined sports teams in swimming, soccer, fencing; all have taken the opportunity to investigate various parts of Hungary and the surrounding European countries. Most of our students attend their first opera in Budapest and many become devotees of the classical musical and intellectual culture which is still vibrant and affordable. Although the program does not organize outings, they do post information concerning cultural events and show students where they can purchase tickets. click here

CLIMATE
In general, winters in Hungary are cold, cloudy and damp or windy, and summers are warm - sometimes very hot. July and August are the hottest months (average temperature 26°C) and January the coldest (-4°C). The number of hours of sunshine averages between 1900 and 2500 a year - among the highest in Europe. The average annual precipitation is about 650mm.

From http://www.lonelyplanet.com/hungary/weather

VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online: click here

Participants must have a valid passport and visa. For Hungarian student visa information: click here

YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:

• Attend an exchange program information session. For dates visit: click here. If you are unable to attend, please make an appointment with the OIE staff member listed below.
• Download the OIE Exchange and Study/Work Abroad Application instructions at click here and submit the completed application by the appropriate deadline.
• Deadlines: Fall/academic year/summer applications are generally due in mid-February. Spring applications are generally due in early to mid-September. Specifics are listed in the application packet.
• Visit the host institution's course information link located under "academic disciplines". Print course descriptions of all the courses of interest that you believe will fit into your GT academic plan.
• Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor to review course options, bring course descriptions to help.
  If you need to get or renew a passport, you should start that process now! Passport information is online: click here.
• For financial aid information, click here
• For scholarship information, click here

EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Becky Gunter, Semester Study Abroad Advisor
GT Office of International Education
631 Cherry Street
Savant Building, Suite 211
Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
E-mail: becky.gunter@oie.gatech.edu
OIE web site: click here

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